Gr 6–10—This series serves as an excellent introduction to key issues in current American discourse. Each book offers both a historical and modern perspective, highlighting the complexity of the topics. A Nation Divided starts by exploring the founders’ opinions on political parties and traces how those views, along with the parties themselves, have evolved. It also emphasizes the roles of race and economic equality in shaping today’s political landscape. Voting Rights covers the long struggle for suffrage, particularly across racial and gender lines, and explains the current state of voting. The Immigrant Experience examines the evolution of U.S. immigration laws. Throughout the series, the books strip away the hyperbole and present well-researched facts. They feature sidebars that dive into historical events, political figures, and misinformation, providing additional context. Each book concludes with biographies of key figures, a timeline, a glossary, a bibliography, recommended websites, and an index. VERDICT Highly recommended.

School Library Journal

The current political climate in the U.S. is a hot topic, and this entry in the Living in America series (8 titles) offers a deeper look into the history of political division, from the nation’s founding to our current moment. Eye-catching images accompany the dense but strongly written text to explain how decisions of the past have impacted our contemporary issues and the ways political parties have grown and shifted over the centuries. A breakdown of current political divides examines some of the primary differences between parties, as well as some of the elements exacerbating that divide and potential actions to diminish it. A time line, an extensive glossary of terms, and source notes round out this thoughtful, informative, and evenhanded book that will be particularly useful in an election year.